While Tiger Woods missed the cut, Australians Oliver Goss and Marc Leishman are among a group of four players leading the US PGA National in Maryland after two rounds.

Leishman and Goss had bogey-free rounds on day two of the tournament, both shooting 5-under-par 66 for the second round.

Competing in only his second PGA Tour event as a professional, 20-year-old Goss scrambled superbly as he piled up five birdies on a difficult Congressional Country Club layout bristling with thick rough.

Goss, who missed the cut at last week's Travelers Championship, ended the round level with 30-year-old Leishman (66) and Americans Ricky Barnes and Patrick Reed.

Fellow Australian Stuart Appleby is a shot back with American Hudson Swafford. Greg Chalmers who led the tournament after shooting 66 on the opening day slid down to 50th spot on the leader board with a 7-over 78 in the second round.

Goss hit only four of 14 fairways on the first day but used his recovery skills to the full as he reached 14 of 18 greens in regulation to move joint top in the early running.

"I don't think I hit one fairway until the 11th ... but I scrambled my way pretty good today," Goss said.

"I was able to get it up and down (for par) every time I missed the green.

"It's only my second week as a pro and being on the top of the leaderboard, it just gives you a boost of confidence."

Having missed the cut in his previous start on the PGA Tour, Goss came into this week "open-minded" about his prospects.

"After last week, I was a little bit disappointed but I came here pretty fresh and open-minded, just see what happened," said the 20-year-old from Fremantle.

Woods missed the cut in his first tournament in three months.

Woods, who had been sidelined since early March after having surgery to repair a pinched nerve in his back, struggled with his driving and short game en route to a 4-over-par 75 in the second round.

That left the former world number one at 7-over 149, and well outside the cut line of 3-over.

Woods, whose charity foundation is benefited by the PGA Tour event, had opted to return to the US circuit this week to give him competitive preparation for next month's British Open, the third major of the year.

"I am really encouraged by what happened this week," an upbeat Woods told reporters after a round that included just three birdies, five bogeys and a double.

"I missed the cut by four shots, that's a lot, but what I was able to do physically and the speed I had and the distance I was hitting the golf ball again, I hadn't done that in a very long time."